The public is invited to participate in a shoe collection drive to benefit Baldwinsville Girls Volleyball from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug. 2 at Baker High School.

The Baldwinsville Girls Volleyball team is conducting its second flash shoe collection drive to raise funds for their sports programming costs while benefiting microenterprise ventures in developing nations and keeping old shoes out of local landfills. Individuals can help by donating used shoes of any condition, size, style or color at Baldwinsville Baker High School bus circle.

In the US alone, approximately 630 million pairs of shoes are thrown away per year. The materials used to manufacture a pair of shoes are created from chemical compounds that will create health hazards if left to disintegrate openly or in landfills. By donating your used shoes to the Baldwinsville Girls Volleyball, your shoes are given a second chance to make a difference. All donated shoes will be redistributed to microenterprise partners through Funds2Orgs and used in developing nations for impoverished people to start, maintain, and grow a unique business opportunity to feed, clothe, and house their families.

“We are very excited to be conducting this shoe drive in Baldwinsville" said Julie Valeski, chair of the shoe drive. "This campaign will raise funds that directly benefit Baldwinsville Girls Volleyball and be used for programming costs and other fees and expenses. The additional advantages of diverting shoes from the waste stream to create commerce and sustainability in peoples’ lives make this a win-win for everyone.”

The team's goal is to collect 7,500 pairs of shoes. Since the start of the drive on June 2, they have collected approximately 3,000 pairs.

"The community support has been phenomenal and we ask that you ask all of your neighbors, coworkers and family members to donate, " Valesky said. "We are close to our goal and the drive ends on Aug. 22. I am calling on everyone to clean out their unwanted, worn, used shoes and donate them to us for a good cause."

If you would like to schedule a shoe pick-up or have any questions, contact Julie Valeski by phone at 635-9516 or email madlukmom@hotmail.com.